Location
Bikaner - lying in the north of the desert state, the city is dotted with
many sand dunes. The geographic location of Bikaner on the ancient carvan
routes made it a prime trade centre for trader that came from West/Central
Asia. Bikaner stands on a slightly raised ground and is bounded by a seven
km long wall with five gates.
Bikaner - The Camels Country
The fortified city of Bikaner was founded in 1488, by Rao Jodhanamed Bika,
a scion of the Jodhpur dynasty. Bikaner enclosed by a stone wall with five
massive gates is popularly known as the camel country. The city is renowned
for the best riding camels in the world. The ship of the desert, camel are
the prime helpers here.
Tourist Attractions
Several palaces, shrines can be seen here. Some of which are :
Junagarh Fort
Junagarh Fort was built by Raja Rai Singh between 1589 and 1594, one of the
trusted Rajput generals of Akbar. This invincible fort of Junagarh defied
every attack that was made on it and today stands proud and unconquered. The
perimeter wall is nearly a kilometer long, with 37 bastions and two gates.
The Suraj Pol (Sun Gate) is the main entrance to the fort. Inside the fort
their are a profusion of palaces (37 of them), pavilions and temples. Each
palace is, in turn, a picturesque ensemble of courtyards, balconies, towers
and kiosks. Built in red sandstone and marble, this fort has exquisite
mirror work, carvings and paintings.
Lalgarh Palace
Maharaja Ganga Singh built this red fort-palace in the year 1902, the
enlightened ruler who steered Bikaner through the first half of this
century, in honour of his father, Maharaja Lal Singh. Made of red sandstone
and adorned with marvelously intricate latticework and carvings, this palace
exhibit great delicacy and refinement.
Camel Festival (17-18th January 2003)
An enchanting desert city which comes alive with music and dance. It is
fast gaining popularity as the visitor finds an opportunity to see some
unusual folk performances, camel, race camel dance etc. here.
Bhandeshwar Jain Temples
This 16th century Jain temple is dedicated to the 23rd Tirthankar
Parshvanathji.
Other important attractions of Bikaner are :
The Ganga Golden Jubilee Temple The Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary The Camel
Breeding Farm The Lakshminathji The Ratan Bihariji Shiv Bari Nagnechiji
temple.
Reaching Bikaner
By Air : The nearest airport service travellers headed for Bikaner
is at Jodhpur.
By Bus : Rajasthan Roadways run very comfortable deluxe & air
conditioned buses from Delhi (Bikaner House, Nr. India Gate) to Bikaner. It
takes around 8-9 hrs from Jaipur. One can also come by taxi.
By Train : Several trains link it to important cities like Delhi,
Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur.
